Amuneke Prunes Golden Eaglets' Recruits

Emmanuel Amuneke, Golden Eaglets' Head Coach, has fore closed likelihood of screening fresh players with hordes still drooping to the NFF/FIFA Goal Project Pitch in Abuja.

Though the 'screening window' to beef up Niger 2015-bound Golden Eaglets was concluded over a week ago with about 100 players picked from a rigorous exercise, the coaching crew magnanimously allowed few more recruits  since they had travelled far and wide to Abuja.

"We don't have time on our hand again and we have been kind enough to see what some of you can offer but today is the final day," said Amuneke after Tuesday's evening session."Our philosophy is simple which is hard work  and we are not going to compromise it.

"I want you to go back to your various academies  and continue to work harder because there could be another opportunity if we qualify for the World Cup in Chile by the grace of God," said the former Nigerian international.

Already about 20 players with various documented  irregularities have been cut off from the pool and a further 44 screened for lacking the technical and tactical abilities. Officials said the remainder are
being subjected to intensive training in order to ascertain their consistency over a time frame and would further be pruned to a manageable number in the coming days.

"We are gradually getting to the moment of truth," noted Prince Udofia, Golden Eaglets' coordinator.

"The coaching crew has done a very good job and there is no way the screening can go on forever; of course, many would want to be given another chance but the time before the start of our competition is short," he noted.

Niger 2015, the 11the African U-17 Championship would be held in Niamey between February 15 and March 1st. The Golden Eaglets are drawn in Group A along with host, Niger; Guinea and Zambia. Nigeria and their northern neighbour, Niger, would play the championship's opening fixture of February 15 at the Stade Général Seyni Kountché (SGSK) multi-purpose stadium in Niamey.